LATEST MISCELLANEOUS.

Marlborough Press, Volume I, Issue 9, 2 March 1860, Page 4

LATEST MISCELLANEOUS.

The sentence upon Dr. Smethurst 'will entail many forfeitures and disabilities upon him in addition to the actual punishment that he will have to undergo. The offence of bigamy, as the law at present stands, amounts to felony, and any person convicted of it immediately loses all claim to any property, whether goods, chattels, or land, of which he may be possessed, or be entitled to in reversion, at the time of his conviction. The effect of his conviciion prevents him from obtaining anything under Miss Bankes’s will, and, as those upon whom the right devolves to take possession of his property, are not likely to interfere, Miss Bankes will probably be considered as dying intestate, and the property will revert to her family, Mr. Macready, the great tragedian, has spoken out gallantly upon the duty of defending the country, but has characteristically added that there was one enemy against whom he hoped to see every rifle pointed—the arch enemy Ignorance. It is but justice to the only artist who of late years has deserved the name of a great tragic actor, to say that his exertions for reforming and improving his own neighbourhood have been a worthy sequel to those which he previously prosecuted so vigorously in the sphere which he adorned by his genius. The launch of the Victoria, at Portsmouth, on the 12 th instant, added another to the five great screw three-deckers, and deserves particular notice as being larger than any line-of-battle ship now afloat. The Victoria had for its sponsor the Princess Frederick William, and the witnesses of the interesting ceremony were her Majesty and the Prince Consort, the Prince Frederick William, Princess Alice, &c. Admiral Bowles handed the bottle of wine, decorated with ribbons and flowers, to the Princess Frederick William, explaining to her, at the same time, the mode in which she was to throw it against the ship’s bows. The princess advanced towards the front of the staging, and taking the cords to which the bottle was suspended by both hands, flung the bottle with right good will at the ship, and, as the christening wine streamed down the bows, her Royal Highness named the ship the Victoria. The cheers which then arose had not yet subsided, when the dogshores were cut by the master shipwright : the giant ship uttered a slight creaking cry as she made her first step, as though shuddering at her own rashness; then, more assured, she passed on easily and noiselessly, gradually acquiring more confidence and speed, until she stepped into

the “ world of waters ” henceforth her home. The air rung with plaudits from every part of the dockyard as the ship was ■ seen gliding from the land, and as she swung to her anchorage the "crews of the vessels in the harbour gave a thundering welcome to this latest addition to the bulwarks of our land.

Another fearful gale has occurred off the Cape of Good Hope, when no less than ten first-class ships were lost —Wigrams Surat, Jaselera, Chasseur, Witch of the Wave, Star of the West, Prince Woronzoff, Lyme Begis, Governess, and Arabian. The hundredth anniversary of Schiller’s nativity has been celebrated with great ceremony and distinguished success. Not only by Germany, but by all Europe, one great ovation was joined in to the genius whose works are almost as well known out of his native land as in it, the works of a free spirit, which ever revolted against oppression, and which indignantly found vent in the wild drama “ The Bobbers ” the works of a teeming imagination, “ great world tragedies.” Beports were current that dysentery, and even cholera, has broken out amongst the Spanisli troops in Morocco ; but tbe Espana, expresses a hope that the rumours were greatly exaggerated. All Canada was rejoicing on the 24th of November last, as the great Victoria tubular bridge, the most stupendous work of the kind in the world, and the connecting link between two important sections of the Grand Trunk Bailway, was being opened on that day. The first train consisted of an engine and single car, containing about fifty persons. The time occupied in passing was about twelve minutes and a half. Among the gentlemen in the car were the Hon. Mr. Cartier, premier; Mr. A. M. Boss, chief engineer of the bridge; Mr. Blackwell, managing director; and several directors of the Grand Trunk road. Two of the tubes are not quite finished, but the bridge is expected to be fully completed and thrown open to traffic about the 15th December. This will be exceedingly opportune for the trade of Canada, which is expected to derive a renewed impulse, as the water navigation has ceased. The traffic over the line is steadily increasing. The receipts for the week preceding the opening to Detroit, which took place on November 21, amounted to 60,560 dollars, being 10,000 above tbe receipts of the corresponding period of last year. The prospects of through western freight are very good. Lola Montes, according to the New York Day Book, is now residing in Brooklyn. “ She is living with. some intimate friends, who have stood by her in all her various fortunes. It is said she has really experienced a change of heart, and those who know her best assert that recently she has lived the life of a devoted and sincere Christian. Lola Montes, ever since her marriage with Lieutenant Heald, in England, has -claimed his name, and has always used it in business transactions. Lola need neither play nor preach, for Heald enjoined in his will that his executor should pay her an annuity of £SOO as long as she lived.”

A public notice was given in March last, that in order to pay the cost of transit through Egypt (a cost which has been largely increased, owing, in part, to an important improvement in the service), newspapers sent via Southampton and Suez, addressed to the East Indies, Ceylon, Mauritius, Hong Kong, China, Australia, or any other place eastward of Suez, will, on the Ist of January next, and thenceforward, be subject to an additional charge of Id., making the rates as follows :—Upon a newspaper addressed to the East Indies—2d. when not exceeding 4ozs. in weight, 3d. when above 4ozs., and not exceeding Bozs. in weight, Id. being added for every additional 4ozs., or fraction of 4ozs. Upon newspapers addressed to any of the other countries or places referred to —2d. for each newspaper, of whatever weight. No alteration will be made in the postage of book packets sent by this route, as they already pay a transit rate; nor will any change be made in the postage of newspapers sent via Marseilles, the present charge on such newspapers being sufficient to cover the cost of transit through Egypt. No alteration, moreover, will be made in the postage of any newspapers which may be directed to go “by private ship.” The charge on these newspapers will remain as at present, Id. each. The public are further reminded that, as the exclusive privilege of the Post-master-General extends only to letters, it is not compulsory on any one to send newspapers through the post, and that they may be forwarded by other channels.—By command of the Postmaster-General, Rowland Hill, secretary. General Post-office, Dec. 1, 1859. The Duke of Bedford has succeeded the late Earl de Grey as Lord Lieutenant of Bedfordshire.